Lux Prize winner: "I am happy that I am a European film maker"
Toni Erdmann won this year鈥檚 Lux Film Prize for its original way of depicting a father desperately trying to become closer to his daughter while at the same time portraying the cut-throat realities of major international corporations. 鈥淔ilms like Toni Erdmann only exist thanks to national and European subsidies because they give you a certain freedom,鈥 said director Maren Ade after receiving the prize in 合法博彩网站 today.
She also added: 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know if there is European cinema, but I am happy that I am a European film maker because I can be German and part of something bigger at the same time.鈥
About the film
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Toni Erdmann tells the story of a father who tries to connect to his daughter who is living as an expat in Bucharest and in the process turns her life upside down. His jokes and mockery not only disturb her, but also question the values of today鈥檚 high-performing, efficiency-driven big business.
The film is both a comedy and drama. In our interview Ade explained:听 鈥淭he father is being funny but actually out of desperation."听
The director said she did not want to send out an outright political message about the globalised world we live in: 鈥淚 think sometimes it can be stronger when you don鈥檛 judge and you don鈥檛 give an answer. That is why I focused on the personal story of the characters.鈥
You can find out more on her inspiration and intentions by watching the video above and on .
Award ceremony
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Awarding the Lux Film Prize on 23 November in plenary, President Martin Schulz said: 鈥淭he three films shortlisted this year remind us that what unites us as European is much stronger than the things that divide us.鈥
10 years of supporting European cinema
Over the last ten years the Lux Prize has contributed to the promotion of 100 European films. It does so by paying the costs of subtitling in the EU's 24 languages for each of the three films on the final shortlist. In addition the winning film is adapted for the visually and hearing impaired and receives support for international promotion.
Ade, who won this year's Lux Prize, said: 鈥淏eing among the finalists was already like a prize because the film gets subtitled and goes to the 28 EU countries and that is the biggest pleasure for a film maker."
Your own Lux Prize
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MEPs might have picked their winner, but the story is far from over. Toni Erdmann and the other two finalists that were competing for the prize - 听 and - are still being screened in cinemas across Europe thanks to the .
You also enjoy the opportunity to , which could lead to you being selected to announce the winner of the Public Mention Prize at the international film festival in Karlovy Vary in the Czech Republic next year.